In a surprising move, Glendale Community College Board of Trustees President Dr. Kathleen Burke-Kelly submitted her resignation Tuesday to the Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools.

Dr. Armine Hacopian is now the acting board president.

Burke-Kelly is serving as vice president of academic affairs at Sylmar’s Los Angeles Mission College. Previously, she has been a dean at East Los Angeles College.

The county superintendent’s office must fill the vacancy within 60 days — by Nov. 20 — or call for a special election to fill the seat, according to Frank Kwan, communications director for the Los Angeles County Office of Education, in a comment to the Glendale News-Press on Friday. The earliest a special election can be held is April 7, 2007.

According to board member Vahe Peroomian, the GCC Board will most likely appoint a new member within the 60-day window rather than wait until April.

“In this case we’ll appoint someone and we’re actually going to finalize the process by which we are going appoint a trustee probably by the end of next week,” Peroomian said in a comment to the Glendale-News Press. “I’m not sure yet what the process is going to be, but it’s certain that we do have to appoint someone. It can’t stay open until April.”

The board will promptly begin accepting applications for the open position, Hacopian said in a comment to the Glendale News-Press.

As to why Burke-Kelley resigned as president of the Board of Trustees, her colleagues can only speculate at this time.

“When moving to a higher position it becomes very difficult to manage two jobs,” Hacopian said to the Glendale News-Press. “But I don’t know what her personal reasons are.”

A special meeting of the GCC Board will be held to determine what process it will take to fill the vacancy.

This is a breaking news story. El Vaquero will report on any developments as they become available. A full report will appear in the Oct. 6 issue of El Vaquero.